


Our Last Battle

by seasalticecream32



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-03
Updated: 2015-03-03
Packaged: 2018-03-16 03:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3472526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasalticecream32/pseuds/seasalticecream32
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur and Merlin fight in the Battle at Hogwarts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our Last Battle

Everyone knew the attack was coming. Since Harry Potter’s name was whispered through the Gryffindor common room and he’d sent the school on a scavenger hunt, there had been no doubt that this was a final stand. And despite everything, Merlin and Arthur were ready to go down swinging.

They should be graduating this year, but when Voldemort’s voice boomed over the student’s heads, neither one of them considered the probability of seeing that day.

It was Arthur who sought Merlin out, wand at the ready and expression grim. “They want us at the edge of the forbidden forest. Neville and Seamus set up a trap to knock out most of Voldemort’s army.”

Merlin only nodded and followed him, mouth in a thin line. He and Arthur had led a lot of DA meetings. It only made sense they’d be in the frontlines of the actual fight. His confidence didn’t untie the knots in his belly any.

It wasn’t a long wait. Once the bombs on the bridge went off, the rest of the army came swelling forward. Arthur gave him one firm look, braced himself for impact, and after that they couldn’t see each other through the mass of bodies moving around them.

Merlin knew they were disadvantaged. Death eaters wouldn’t hesitate to use the Unforgivables. They had refused to even cover them in DA.

Still, he did the best he could. Totalus petrificus, stupefy, expelliarmus. He exhausted every spell he knew, taking down death eaters left and right and trying to keep an eye out for his friends. He tried not to think about the bodies he stepped over. He tried not to check the faces to see if they were friend or foe. He just kept working forward, driving the crowd back.

He knew they were losing. There was no real hope, but he liked to think of himself as an optimist.

There were screams and then the sound of Voldemort’s voice from the castle. Merlin’s ears were ringing from a barely missed hex, but he heard the words ‘gather your dead.’ And then his stomach fell. The death eaters pulled back, a hundred eyes glaring at the student army.

He hadn’t expected to be allowed to grieve until everything was over. He hadn’t expected to have to count those they’d already lost. This was everything being over before it was over. This was psychological warfare on teenagers.

He helped drag bodies back into the castle, choking every time he saw a face flash behind his eyes from old memories. He hadn’t been particularly close to any of the ones he’d pulled back into the ruins of Hogwarts, but he hadn’t seen any of his friends alive either.

Everyone was tired, he could see it on their faces.

“Hey, have you seen Arthur?” Neville shook his head and sped past him.

He found Gwen next, but he didn’t dare interrupt her. Elyan had not fared well in the fight. Merlin only moved hurriedly from the pallet that she’d set up for him, trying not to look into the wide brown eyes of his old friend. He spotted Leon running his hands through his hair, looking around frantically. Like Merlin, Leon had no family in the castle, but that didn’t keep either of them from being affected.

“Leon! Have you seen Arthur?” Leon only turned back to him, expression blank and hands still running through his hair. He jerked his head over, and Merlin nearly dropped where he stood. Surely not.

Merlin rushed over, stepping around and over people in various states of duress.

And that’s when he saw him. Blond hair leaned over, holding firmly to a pale hand. Arthur wasn’t even trying to hide that he was crying. Morgana lay beneath him, not moving.

“Arthur.” Merlin felt sick at the relief that flooded through him. He joined Arthur in sitting by Morgana’s side. Leon only continued to stand behind them, shaking his head and looking far too pale.

“She took out a dozen death eaters before they got her. She was beside me the whole time. She saved my life right before.” Arthur didn’t look at him, choosing instead to push Morgana’s dark curls away. “She told them they’d never get her brother. I didn’t think she knew.”

“It’s good that she did, Arthur. She knew you loved her like a sister.” Merlin placed an awkward hand on Arthur’s shoulder. He was surprised to feel a grip on his fingers.

Arthur’s expression when he looked up was fierce and bright, blue burning into blue as the two boys understood each other.

They’d fight harder. They’d fight more. Voldemort would not beat them by flaunting their dead in their face.

Later, after everything was over, they were found hand in hand and wands still raised, slumped against the rubble. They were buried with the others, and their names carved together, side by side as they always had been.


End file.
